This is the soon to be active Age of Worms PBP game; all characters start off as dwarven barbarians. Forgotten Realms setting. All players already recruited. I'm NOT running this game, but finally get to play in the Age of Worms....
This is a first for me, to host a PBP web page adventure. I am going to run the Adventure Path Age of Worms with a twist that the players decided to go with. The whole party is made of Barbarian Dwarves. All had taken the barbarian class as their first level and will branch off to other classes after that.
I have placed the adventure setting in Faerun, in the North with Diamond Lake 3 days ride East of Waterdeep in the Larch Hills. The adventurers hail from the recently reclaimed Mithril Hall in the Silver Marches.
The start of this adventure is not in Diamond Lake, but rather in the Larch Hills on the western bank of the River Surbrin.
more to come
The scene opens on the Western bank of the River Surbrin. The River Lady a two masted ketch, glides south leaving behind our group of adventurers. Their short, broad build leaves no doubt as to their race. Each is heavily armed from greatswords to warhammers, and their helms bear an ornate granite chip while those with shields display the foaming ale mug. Those who study dwarvish heraldry would not be dismiss in stating that they are of the Graniterunner family of Clan Battlehammer, late of Mithril Hall.
The quintuplets watch the gilded stern of the River Lady as she glides around the next bend in the river. The skeletal trees cast long shadows across the hills, while the river appears molten from the setting sun. The trees with most of their leaves laying on the ground and bushes are thick along the banks, but thin out the farther away from the water. An eagle makes a magnificent dive into the broad river, but comes up with talons wet with no prey. Is this an omen for the adventurers’ first foray away from home?
Khedron, the eldest by minutes looks about, searching as his father had taught to read the ground for hints of game, threats or just other travelers. His studded leather armor creaks slightly as he stands to his full four feet four inch height and indicates the best path to take west. These hills are just bumps compared to the majestic spires of the Spine, but still will wear on their feet as they trudge up and down towards their goal. Khedron muses.
Kiira, so named after their great aunt and family priestess is the next eldest. She adjusts her dwarven waraxe to a position of easier reach after cinching her pack’s straps. Rubbing her hairless chin, she thinks If any o my brothers peep one comment on me staying home, their heads will feel my pommel She also searches the area as Da taught seeing the deer tracks and the goblin print.
Gant, the third in line of succession adjusts his warhammer, warpick and daggers into position having noticed his sister’s actions. Making sure his quarrels are close at hand, he hefts his crossbow, looks about and waits for the others to set off, letting Khedron lead the way. He makes his own search about for sign, knowing he is more accomplished than his “elder” brother, but making no issue of it. He notices only that a few deer had come recently to drink from the river. Magic would have a better solution than trudging, He thinks not daring to voice his thoughts to his boisterous siblings.
Moverock stretches and looks at the river with obvious distaste looks about notices that 5 deer came and drank from the river, and that a goblin track was made as well. Nothing new there, goblins are like roaches, everywhere
The youngest by minutes, Thorgrim mouths a silent prayer to his goddess while straightening his shiny mail shirt. He looks about seeing nothing of interest, other than churned mud from the debarkation. Diamond Lake? Does that mean the lake has diamonds in it, or is it made of Diamond? Mithril Hall was named after all the mithril in it after all He doesn’t utter a word about his thoughts, being wise enough not to give fuel for any ribbing that he never understands.
The party moves into the hills, following a deer path that Kirra and Moverock pointed out, having also alerted the others to the recent goblin track.
The sun has set and the crescent moon has just risen over the Western hills when …
“Before you is a scene, not familiar. A hunting party of Orcs are gorging themselves on the entrails of a recently killed deer. Their blood smeared muzzles gape in astonishment seeing you crest the hill, in a moment of crystal clarity you notice on how the blood is steaming in the cold air and the ground is clear of any obstacles between them and you.”
INITIATIVE.
There are seven orcs, dressed in studded leather armor, with falchions and javelin quivers. They are 60feet downhill and approximately 15 feet lower. The largest reacts with one word “GUR’ECK” which roughly translates from goblin into rockscum, or stone shite.
Khedron is lost in thought, mentally kicking himself for missing the deer path. I'm the one who wants to follow in Da's tracks, and I can't even see a game path! Even that poofy Moverock saw it! Hope Kiira tries to ride me about it; she's due for a beatdown after the scene she made about coming with us...
He blinks, hearing the insult and seeing his siblings start to move. Initiative vs orcs (1d20+6=8)
Khedron intuits that he would be peppered by javelins if he tried to charge now. Instead he drops his greataxe and unlimbers his longbow. In a fluid motion, he draws, nocks, and fires an arrow at the largest orc, looking very smooth but missing entirely. longbow shot at orcs (1d20+6=9, 1d8=5)
AC16 hp16/16
Seasickness.....I thought that only happened to elves. I....must....remain.....stoic.....must.....not.....show.....weakness
Orcs!!!!
Iniative 21 Attack Roll 12 Damage 8
Fires crossbow bolt on his initiative, probably missed.
Master of the Arcane never miss....can't let my brothers or my sister hear that!
Thorghrim stands easy and looks about the scene. While his brothers and sister begin looking about to find some way in which to assert each of their own authority over the others, Thorghrim will utter a nearly silent prayer to the Goddess for getting them safely off that damn chunk of flotsam before they all drowned in this accursed river!
Feeling the squish of the mud, he finds nothing to spark his interest by the riverside.
Glancing at his siblings, he will think…” Hmph. Now it’s just a matter of time before one of them tries to show off their smarts just to piss off Khedron; and, then the fight will start and we’ll all end up with this mud all over us!”
Awaiting the inevitable, he will think of the name of this place… Diamond Lake. Hmmm… Diamond Lake… Does that mean the lake has diamonds in it, or is it made of Diamond? Mithril Hall was named after all the mithril in it after all…”
Looking about to double check that he did not voice his thoughts (and thus incur the endless critique and wrath of his family), he is surprised to find himself trudging along up the hill with the group! Looking back, he is further surprised by how far they have traveled whilst he was troubling over the name of the lake! And, his greatest surprise yet is that he was not disturbed from his revelry by a fist in the fight that has apparently not come after all!
Before he can sort out this amazing fact, he stops cold on the trail at the same moment as the others as he sees a groups of Orcs diving into a deer kill as if they were a pack of wild dogs.
Filthy animals.
Thorghrim's Initiative Roll: (1d20+5=15)
Seeing the others frantically pulling their bows and other distance weapons, Thorghrim will pull his crossbow, cock and lock it and fire upon the largest Orc he sees…
A Crossbow Shot at the Largest Orc (Multi-Attacker Bonus is NOT added in): (1d20+4=12, 1d8=5)
Seeing his shot go high of the mark, Thorghrim will wonder, ”Khedron must have been totally surprised! Why didn’t he just charge down the hill? Moverock and Kiira are going to give him s#!t for that!”
Seeing his shot sink into the Orc, Thorghrim will wonder, ”Khedron must have been totally surprised! Why didn’t he just charge down the hill? Moverock and Kiira are going to give him s#!t for that!”
Initiative order:
Gant, Orc Leader, Orcs 5&6, Moverock, Thorghrim, Orc 1, Kirra, Khedron & Orc 2, Orc 3. At the end of this though all orcs go last.
Gant’s crossbow bolt skips off of Orc number 2’s armored shoulder, bring forth a grunt.
The Leader, yells out in Orcish
Orcs 5 & 6 pull javelins, and wait.
Moverock aims and fires his crossbow into Orc 3, slightly scoring his shoulder, bringing out a bit o blood.
Thorghrim taking note of the Leader (and the largest) scores a hit lodging his bolt into the monster’s right thigh!
Orc 1, pulls his javelin from his quiver, waiting for the command taking note of his leader’s squeal.
Khedron’s long arrow is lost into the darkness having not adjusted for his higher elevation.
Orcs 2 & 3 pull, growl out [spoiler] Ready Leader!/[spoiler]
On the order all throw at Khedron! Five Javelins hit into him with one striking his armor, but falling harmlessly to the ground.
Shoot another bolt.
Crossbow shot, it's a possible crit
Confirm crit only if it hits AC14, doubt it does
7 points if no crit, 12 pts if it does crit.
The javelins pierce Khedron's armor, biting deep into his shoulder, chest, belly, and leg. His world swims for a moment and is replaced by a red haze which creeps in around the edges.
These filth are not worthy to kill me! They are only worthy to die!
Khedron will rock on his heels for a moment, muttering to himself. A gobbet of spittle forms at the corner of his mouth and tracks down his beard. The world narrows to an almost completely red haze, with a tiny opening in the center focused on orc #3. Every detail of the pig-faced vermin is crystal clear and Khedron focuses his rage on him.
His bellow of rage seems torn from the bones of the earth. Khedron charges down the hill at orc #3, along the way dropping his longbow and drawing his warhammer. His howl trails along behind him.
Khedron is only dimly aware that his warhammer struck the orc solidly. Warhammer attack, charging, rage (1d20+8=23, 1d8+5=8)
As he sees the missiles punch through the armor and into his brother Khedron, the World seems to fall into slow motion. As the javelins hit Khedron, he can hear one of his brother’s yell, “No!” and he can see Kiira and Gant blurring into motion beside him.
As Khedron releases a bellow of anger and drops his bow, Thorghrim begins to move as well.
”YES! Charge brother!” he will loudly think as he drops his own weapon and flies after his older brother to worship on the altar of battle!
“Praise be to the Goddess!”
Heaving out his Great Sword as he runs for all he is worth, he will cover the distance in a blink of the eye (or so it seems to him). All thoughts leave him as allows the rage to take him. He ‘knows’ that the next few moments are going to go well…
As he races up to the Orcs, he will arrive slightly behind his brother and will choose another target to hit:
A Hit with the Great Sword after a charge while raging: (1d20+7=24, 2d6+5=10)
As the black Orc blood splatters across his grim expression, Thorghrim will think, ”It is the stench of holy deliverance” as he begins to feel a slight connection with the Great Goddess of War….
Upon noticing the orc scum, Kiira laughs then shouts out in dwarvish, "It's a good day to die, vermin!" She charges the nearest one singing a battle song dedicate to Haela Brightaxe. As she's running and loudly singing, she notices the javelins hit Khedron and her song turns into a loud battle cry.....a primal scream is more like it.
It brings her pleasure to take revenge upon the orc who hurt her brother! She fights with an evil grin on her face. If she hits she laughs, if she misses she screams louder!
HP 17/17; AC 18
ROUND 2
Gant’s bolt takes Orc 2 in the face, piercing the back of its helmet. It drops like a boned fish the Mithril and Black colored fletching standing as proud as any battle flag.
Moverock reloads, and was about to fire at Orc 3, but has to change targets as his “elder” brother crosses his sights screaming like a banshee. Ach now he be truly angry, that or his family jewels were scored for him ta be screaming like that He quickly pans to the right locking in on Orc 1 and fires. His bolt lodges dead center in its chest. The creature drops next to his fallen comrade. The fletching quivers in time with the last beats of its heart.
Khedron’s thick powerful legs bring him up on Orc 3, who drops his javelin, but is unable to draw his falchion. It is hard to concentrate when your skull is crushed by five pounds of dwarven steel.
Thorghrim zeros in on the Orc Leader, gaining speed from the downhill attack. His focus so complete he isn’t even aware of the first orc he passes, just absently ducking out of the falchion’s path.
His opponent was able to get his Falchion out, just to have it fall to the ground. His claw still clutched to the hilt. The bones gave only slight resistance to Thorghrim’s great blade which ended its destination in the creature’s torso. Intestines spew out covering Thorghrim’s feet.
Kirra descended the hill like the handmaiden of Haela Brightaxe, her shield knocks the javelin to the side, as her waraxe takes her opponent in the neck! With its head barely connected, the corpse drops next to the others that are piling up. In her battle glee she sees that only the three orcs that are on the far side of the deer carcass are still standing.
The remaining orcs, scream back in Orcish, #4 attacks Khedron moving over the corpse of #3. His falchion fairly makes the air whistle, but that is all. Orcs 5 & 6 turn and run for all they are worth.
HP 17/17; AC 18
After dropping the first orc, Kiira will utter a barbaric growl...very throaty and low with an intimidating smile on her face as she calmly steps up to the next orc looking him straight in the eyes. As she brings her axe up to attack, her growl becomes louder as it turns into the scream she let loose on her last attack. Nobody messes with her brothers!
Amendment Post, Prior to the ORcs fleeing, Kirra’s actions take place.
Stepping over her first kill, Kirra is finally joined by her brothers, but before she can go after the Leader, Thorghrim comes barreling into the fray cutting him down. She focuses on Orc 6, closes and feints right, then slashes from the left. Her opponent is down, still screaming in orcish as #4 closes with Khedron and #5 flees for his life.
Thorghrim watches the Orc Leader drop before him. With no change of his scowl to register his disgust at the heaping stench of Orc entrails (especially all those currently ooze their way into his footwear), he looks up to see both the Orc attacking Khedron and the one fleeing.
Moving to attempt to counter the Orc closing on Khedron , Thorghrim thinks,“Look at Khedron’s strength!” as he sees the eldest lean into the coming attack with no pause or fear.
And, of course, he is heartened by the battle song and cries of Kiira.
It forces a recent memory… sort of an image, really… of his pride in his sister. A fraction of a second flash nestled neatly within his hatred of the Orcs is the image of her standing there chest to chest with Khedron the night before we left facing him down and threatening to smash his face in with that big mug of hers… And look at her now! Smashing heads and crying to the winds in her terrible fury.
“Damn, I love my family!”
He will spit after the fleeing Orc coward and will swing blindly at Khedron’s foe, slipping on the newly freed entrails and nearly falling down into the gooey morass, Thorghrim misses horribly nearly hitting Khedron in the process!
A hit with the Great Sword on the remaining Orc on Khedron: (1d20+5=7, 2d6+6=15)
“Whoa!”, he will utter as he just barely keeps his footing.
Pulling her axe from the body of the dead orc with satisfying "SQQUUEELLCCHHH!", Kirra thinks to herself, "Yes! I'm so glad I came!!!" then takes off running at full throttle, still with that evil, yet happy, grin on her face, to chase the fleeing orc. Halfway through the run she starts singing a battle-song of her own composition, in common, hoping the orc she's chasing will understand, about how she's going to slice the chicken-orc into pieces and leave him for the carrion eaters!
The world sharpens for Khedron and his senses are operating with total clarity. The crunch of the gravel under his feet, the smell of the orcs and their fresh blood mingles with the older blood of the deer carcass. He sees Thorghrim start his swing and somehow feels that it will miss the orc, too high and easily dodged.
Khedron will swing his warhammer in an uppercut, hoping to catch the orc when it dodges his brother's sword: Swing batter batter (1d20+6=12, 1d8+5=7)
Move action: reload crossbow
Move action: move to square H7 keeping an eye out for our rear and flanks.
Gant moves downhill, his boots scrunching the brittle grass as his gaze scans the area not picking up anything that may be a threat. Moverock reloads as well and stays put, using the top of the hill to his advantage.
Thorghrim comes stumbling up to Orc 4, swinging like a drunken goblin, almost nicking Khedron with his greatsword. Even though the blade didn’t hit the orc, it did distract it enough that it didn’t pay attention to Khedron.
Orc 5’s panic stricken flight heads straight South towards the far hill. His arms are wind milling frantically, almost causing himself injury with his falchion that he still holds onto.
Kirra’s song, causes her quarry to glance back in fear, causing him to stumble enough for her to catch up and bury her waraxe into its back from right shoulder to left hip.
Khedron being able to avoid his brother’s enthusiastic attack, brings his warhammer from the low ready up. He times the swing perfectly catching the orc right under its chin, snapping its head back with a loud crack! He turns to see Kirra yanking furiously on her waraxe on the up slope of the far hill.
The brothers clearly hear their sister’s colorful discriptions while she disengages her severely wedged axe!
How much could this incredibly vile orcish armor be worth? I say leave it behind or dump it in the river. The falchions might be worth something.
Thorghrim will stand straighter now that all opponents are down. While Kiira is celebrating her victory in her customary way and the others are calming down and settling in to pick over the bodies, he will stretch his back and let out a long calming breath of air.
"That was fun" he will say to himself.
With his blood settling, he leaves the stripping of bodies to the others and instead sees what might be salvaged from the deer corpse (after removing his boots and dripping all the Orc offal and goo onto the ground, of course)..
Bending his mind to the task of tending to the food, Thorghrim will leave the debate over the spoils to the others.
'When' (or if) the fight breaks out over this, he will stay out of it (as usual) until somebody hits him or Kiira when he will jump into the fray for all he is worth...
What? There are no more?
Khedron blinks, his senses keyed up and on alert. He looks around him suspiciously as if not believing there are no more enemies to fight. When he spies Thorghrim sitting on a rock cleaning his boots, he knows the fight is over, and the rage leaves him.
He will begin checking the bodies, tossing the falchions in one pile, the javelins in another, and miscellaneous coin going in a small sack salvaged from one of the dead pig-faces. He examines the key, scraping at it with his fingernail. Huh. Silver. Stupid thing to make a key out of.
Khedron starts to wrestle the armor off the dead orcs when he hears Gant's words. He settles back on his heels and contemplates the matter, eventually nodding and getting up. Not worth the trouble. It's torn, smelly, and bloody, and we'll have to cut the straps to get it off.
He hands the key to Moverock, knowing his brother has an aptitude for knowing what things are worth. "What do you think of this dragon head?"
Khedron will stomp off back uphill to pick up his longbow and great axe, doing his best to ignore his wounds and conceal his seriously injured state from his siblings.
"On to town? We can trade some of these things for lodging and sell the rest. Anyway it's bad luck to divide profit without a tankard of ale!"
After dropping the orc she chased, she'll look around to make sure there are no more. She'll chop the head off the one she killed and carry it down to the other bodies where she chops off the rest of their heads and stands them all up in a nice, neat row on the end of their spears; all the while humming the new song she made up while she was chasing chicken-orc. After rubbing her hands in the dirt to get most of the blood off, she'll step back and survey her work and ask, "Target practice, anyone?" She laughs heartily but stops short when she hears the mention of ale. The monuments to her family's battle forgotten, she turns and enthusiastically says, "First round's on me!" She helps gather what's left to gather and joins her brothers in their march towards the nearest town ribbing them all the way there about anything and everything she can think of! "See now? Aren't you glad I came?!"
The quintuplets of mayhem gather their well earned loot, leaving Kirra’s artwork behind they continue on their way to Diamond Lake. Knowing that they will be there soon (six hour hike to dwarves? Just a mere stroll), and that the accidental encounter was far less a delay than when Gant needed to use the jakes!
Thorghrim cleaned and dressed the deer so our adventurers know they have at least one meal in store if this Diamond Lake is not to their liking. Each during the trek recalls their Da’s last words before parting “Now ye hear me well and good. The outside world is large and filled with plenty o things ta kill, smash, slash and generally hae fun with. But mind your manners when dealing with other dwarves, till they give cause tae correct their bad manners.” Da had to pause while taking a hearty draw on his mug, “Now where was I… Ah dinnae fall fer those tricky elvish ways and keep each others’ backs!.... Oh an don’t ferget tae give that letter tae Master Blitzhame o Greysmere Clan. Ye keen not too much on those preachins by your crazed great aunt, ye be me boys and girl and remember what I taught ye”
The remainder of their march goes uneventful; they do come across some old cairns and barrows, but the letter takes precedence.
The last hill is crested and they see the lake to the south and ahead. It is large!
The town of Diamond Lake crouches in the lowland between three hills and the lake itself. It is located on the Northeastern shores of the Lake.
The surface of the lake is dark, dull and appears to be made of that gnomish invention of blackoil.
Just below their hill is a dirt road that leads into the town. It goes past a massive fortress like smelter on the left and about 400 feet to the right across from the smelter is a boneyard, a pretty big one. The road leads right into the center of town, where at least two buildings are still lit with activity. Those appear to be inns or taverns.
"I'm good at listening and I have been told that people listen to me. I will go to the Inn, purchase ale and mead and bring it back to the camp site. I don't think we should sleep there tonight yet. For all we know it is a camp of evil."
Gant accompanies whomever else goes to the Inn. It doesn't matter which one. He keeps his warhammer loose in its frog, ready for quickdraw. He leaves his camping gear, backpack and provisions behind at the camp. During the walk to town he will hang back and check the flanks and rear and skies frequently for potential threats.
"We should leave at least two people at the camp, but they shouldn't start 'making camp' yet until we are all together again. I feel splitting up is not a good idea right now."
Thorghrim: HP 17/17; AC 17
Thorghrim will press 5 Gold Pieces one by one into Gant’s hand before he leaves and says, “Two bottles of the sweat mead, a loaf of bread, and a full wheel .
Knowing that he can trust Gant to bring back his change with a minimum of pilferage, he will turn to the task of cutting the meat into strips for drying.
Without looking up at him, to Khedron he will say, “Can you make a drying rack, or are you going to bleed to death?”
Despite Khedron's stoic response, Thorghrim will drop what he is doing and go to his brother...
A Heal Check to determine the extent of Khedron's wounds: (1d20+4=10)
After 20 solid minutes of trying to get Khedron to hold still and cooperate, Thorghrim gives up with a “Hmmph!”
Not knowing the full extent of the damage, he will nonetheless attempt to bind and clean what wounds Khedron will allow (and admit to).
Once that task is complete and the meat has been cut into strips and laid upon the rack, Thorghrim will silently stand guard watching the forest and lands about them for foes until the others get back from town with the supper.
A Spot Check while on guard: (1d20+10=25)
With a patience and focus that most likely still baffles his siblings, Thorghrim will sit there on watch for hours without seeming to move a muscle perfectly content to sit and watch about the camp for danger…
Khedron will nod his concurrence with Gant's suggestion. "Take Moverock with you. The manlings seem to like him and he might get us a better price. Just ale and bread for me.", handing Gant 2gp.
Like da always said, the right tool for the job.
He will pull off his armor and let Thorghrim look him over, but his brother's clumsy poking at his wounds makes him twitch and jump. Thorghrim gave up mere seconds before Khedron was about to hit him.
Khedron will build a drying rack out of fallen branches and vines while his brother slices the deer carcass with unnerving precision. He will also gather kindling and firewood and lay a fire, but will not set it ablaze yet.
He will clean and repair his armor as best as he can. With that completed, he will prop himself up against a tree or boulder. Knowing that his brother is the most observant of all of them, and knowing he needs the rest (though he'd never admit it) he will drift off to sleep.
Kirra will head off with her two brothers to town. She can't wait to see it!!! She's not the slightest bit interested in sleeping in a building.....with strangers.....and a roof......but she's always up for something new and really wants to drink a pint in a tavern......a far and away tavern!!! Suddenly she'll stop. She'll look longingly towards Gant and Moverock, who are up ahead a little ways, and then back at Khedron and Thorgrim. She'll run up to Gant an give him a couple of gold. "Get me the best ale they got, brother!" Then, with a sense of responsibility to her brothers that comes from being the second oldest and the only female, she'll turn and walk back towards the camp. She won't leave her other brothers, especially while Khedron is hurt. She'll help Thorgrim finish cutting the meat and then sit with her back against the other side of the tree Khedron is sleeping against and take up watch there. One small tear squeezes it's way out and trickles down her cheek as she thinks of home and how badly Khedron was hurt in the battle! But, only one. And, noone can see it!
Kirra's Spot:
1d20+5=17
Gant and Thorghrim leave their siblings behind, as they descend to the road. They pass the large smelting house to their left which is dark and quiet. Just a little further to the right is a smithy, its sign displaying a very distinctive “O”,
The road intersects with another road that lead off to the right, and they pass seven more houses, five on the left and two to the right before they come to the “Rusty Bucket”, an apparent eatery that is closed for the night. Its covered porch well kept with comfortable benches and chairs neatly set against the building. The shutters are snuggly latched and the door closed.
Looking each other in the eye, they mutely consent to continue on, and pass another street juncture that leads to the left and a the southwest corner is the Able Carter Coaching Inn; also closed for the night.
Without breaking stride our two brothers continue on as their keen hearing picks up the obvious sounds of revelry! The road leads to the town commons, where there are eight buildings facing inward. The most noticeable building is the first to the left, a large three storied fancy establishment. The sign reads “The Emporium”. It is a three storied massive structure. The lights still shine and music can be heard coming from it.
The louder noise is coming from the right of the square, a large two storied building. The sign proclaims the establishment as the Feral Dog. The door opens to allow 5 drunken humans into the cool night. These happy fellows wear the garb of miners (which the brothers recognize with not a doubt) and don’t take note of our two travelers.
The Emporium being closer and obviously better built establishment Gant and Thorghrim enter and are greeted by a grinning businesslike attendant.
“Hello Master dwarves, welcome to The Emporium, I am Gaspar. How may I be of assistance?” Gaspar opens up with, while running his hand over his thinning hair. “Do you wish to view the Gallery of Science, which is three coppers, or do you desire the finer entertainment on the upper floors? I can allow you access to them for only 3 silvers”
AC16 HP16/16
To the attendant:
"Pay money to enter? We would purchase a bottle of mead and a cask of ale to take with us. But we will pay no entry fee to see any 'entertainment.'
“Hello Master dwarves, welcome to The Emporium, I am Gaspar. How may I be of assistance?” Gaspar opens up with, while running his hand over his thinning hair. “Do you wish to view the Gallery of Science, which is three coppers, or do you desire the finer entertainment on the upper floors? I can allow you access to them for only 3 silvers”
"Well good Master Dwarf, if all you wish is to take some of our fine libations, well that can be arranged” Gaspar does a little bow, rubs his hands together. From his service desk he pulls out a bell, rings it softly. “So would you prefer some local ale, or a vintage from afar? Alas we have no local mead, but have four fine imports. If you like the earthy flavor from the Moonshaes, that will be 8 Dragons. There are the Amish and Calimsham meads that are very spicy, and they are 10 Dragons. The latest addition we received recently is from the High Forrest and that will be 4 Dragons….” Noticing the blank looks on his customer’s faces, “Dragons? Ah you fine gentlemen must be from very very far away. Ah yes, by your shield’s noble standard you are from Mithril Hall. A Dragon my good Ser’s is a gold” Gaspar’s curled mustachios twitch with possible amusement, but it is hard to determine with human facial hair as it is sooo thin it could be moveing due to his nostril hair. “As for ale, a cask from our local brewery will be 2 Shards, hmm I mean silvers our if you care to try the renown Abbey of the Golden Sheaf out of Mistledale you shall not be sorry; which will be 4 Shards”
Ansering to the bell, a young man enters the lobby from a door to the right, and waits.
“So what shall you like?” Gaspar asks mustachios quivering.
AC16 HP16/16
"Two bottles of the High Forest mead please, and a cask of the Golden Sheaf ale. Thank you. Is there a place we can trade a freshly slain deer for coin or barter?"
Gather Info roll (1d20+3=4) I would argue I wouldn't have to reroll every sentence of a conversation since I made a good diplomacy roll, but here it is in case it is needed.
I mark off the 8gp and 4sp.
Upon hearing the order the young man leaves and returns carrying a sack with the mead and a small cask that has the stamp of a blooming rose on a sheaf of grain on the lid.
“Fresh venison you say, well I can purchase that off of you for 3 Shards per pound” Gaspar wrings his hands and quivers his mustachios, “Of course you will need to bring the meat to the back where the kitchens are, and have the meat weighed. See the cook and all will be taken care of. Now the cook will be here at an hour before sunrise and he usually deals with the supplier at sunrise.” Gaspar pulls out some parchment and quill and scribbles a note, folds it and seals it with wax. “ Just present this and you shall be paid.
Gant pockets the note and heads back to camp. Halfway to camp, Gant and Moverock alter their path, head for some cover and check to see if they're being followed.
Natural 20. If we are not being followed, we will take a tactical route back to camp, moving slowly and checking for ambushes, the sky and behind us at random intervals.
Gant and Moverock return to their camp, to find Kheldon asleep against a tree a dn Kirra and Thorghrim watching for enemies. Gant notices that the deer has been slice and is currently being dried and will not be available for sale. The night passes uneventful.
The skies are clear and the temperature is 48 degress.
Gant unloads the cask of ale and bottles of mead.
"WAKE UP, TIME TO DRINK!!!!!"
Gant will drink a couple of ales and then do his turn on watch, unless his brothers and sister get too drunk and he'll sit up for an extra shift if necessary. If that happens, he'll be quite grouchy in the morning, but this area freaks him out.
They have forges....aboveground.....
Thorghrim will take his two bottles of mead.
"No cheese or bread?"
At Gant's response as to the hour of the day and informing Thorghrim of the odd habit of human towns to close up shops at night, Thorghrim will grumble something under his breath and go to his pack to pull out some stale bread from his rations. If he owes Gant money, he will cough up the coins after spending several long long minutes counting out every copper demanded (as he usually does when having to give money to his brothers) just to irritate Gant and thus accuse him of not searching enough for a better deal...
At some point, he will announce: "The meat will be dried and ready for packing by sundown tomorrow, if there's no rain..."
At which point he will sit with a 'huff' and eat and drink (saving the second bottle of mead for tomorrow).
After his repast and seeing Gant take up a spot to watch and the others gathered about to drink, he will join in and quietly watch his siblings and the effect of the drink upon them... All the while, sipping his mead.
As usual, if a brawl breaks out, he will react and punch and wrestle whomever seems to need/want it the most.
Afterwards, he will settle down for some sleep and announce his intention for slumber with a nice low burp.
Kiira will fill her cup, chug it, fill her cup, chug it, fill her cup and walk over to Gant and incessantly bug him for every detail of the town, the dude he talked to, what the buildings looked like, what they're made of....etc....etc...etc......sipping her third cup and refilling as necessary.
Woke up by Gant, Khedron will stretch and get up. He feels better and figures that he should be back to normal by the next sunrise.
Khedron hears Thorghrim make his statement about the meat. Deeming his brother to be correct, he sees no need to say anything.
He will fill his tankard and take a swig, unconsciously making a face. Human ale! I've tasted bathwater with more flavor!
Khedron will take the proffered bread and cheese, supplementing it with dried meat and a bit of butter from his rations. He will listen to Kiira interrogating Gant and Moverock about the town, and will listen intently to the answers. Having blabbermouth along saves me the trouble of having to ask questions.
At dawn, Khedron will start the fire that he laid earlier, feeding it with the wood that was stockpiled. He will manage it carefully to produce the right amount of heat to dry the meat, while making as little smoke and consuming as little fuel as possible. Since he got some sleep during the night, he will stand watch while tending the fire.
The sun is bright, the skies clear and the air crisp. Bundled in your sleeping blankets and gear you did not feel too cold, being accustomed to hard floors from the mines of Mithril Hall. Breaking fast and camp go about with no problems and the walk to town quick and easy as well. You notice the Smelter is up and running as you pass and a local gives you directions to the Greysmere Covenant with no hassles. You continue travel on “The Vein” (which is the road you are on) into the town common. You pass The Emporium, turn North take the road between the Church of Helm & the Feral Dog and head up hill.
The Greysmere Covenant is on the right, at a junction of Uphill Street (what you are on) and Side Hill Way. It is a sturdy brick and timber 2 storied affair that 50 feet wide, 40 feet deep with the Greysmere Clan emblem hanging over the door. A young dwarf in a leather apron is sweeping the front and sees you approach.
“Hallo, welcome ta Greysmere. What are ye aboot?” The youngster (probably a few years younger than you) stops sweeping and peers at you all with bright blue eyes set in a tanned face with black hair “By Moradin’s Anvil! You all look tha same!” He drops his broom, opens the front door, “Hey git a look a these fellows we ‘ave five dwarves that all look alike, even the maiden!”
A moment later..
“WHAT? ARE YE BLATHERING ABOOT YA DUST HEAD!” An older dwarf with black hair with and tanned features wearing a grey waistcoat with a gold chain, grey slacks and shiny knee high riding boots exits the front wiping his whiskers with a linen napkin. “Ah, welcome and please ignore my nephew Roryn, the lump head he be, me sister’s third son and well ye know how that be with relatives an all” You can just make out a slight blush just above his well oiled beard.
“ I am Dulok, Master of this Covenant. By your description I have been expecting you, well met and come in please” Dulok steps aside so that you may enter
If you enter
If you don’t enter while other do
If you all refuse to enter
Not about to turn down an 'invitation' from an older dwarf of some wealth and social standing, Khedron will enter. Remembering what (scant) manners our father taught him, Khedron will not drink until Dulok does.
Aaahhhhh...now this is ale fit for drinking!
At mention of the letter, Khedron will shrug off his pack and pull out a scroll tube containing the letter. He will hand it to Dulok. Wonder what it says? I never quite got the way of the runes. Didn't seem worth the time, da always told us to learn by doing. Still, might be good to learn some day.
Khedron will savor the ale in silence. He will honestly answer questions Dulok puts to him, but as long as the conversation serves a purpose (learning about the town, opportunities for more treasure, fair merchants to trade with) he is content to let the others do the talking.
Kiira smiles and gives a little wink to Roryn and a respectful bow of the head to Dulok, as she enters the building close on Khedron's heels. She will happily take the ale, and following the lessons taught to her by her da, will wait until he drinks as well. As the discussion about the letter begins, she will look around the room and take in as much detail as she can.
She will pay close attention to the conversation, adding to it where she can and politely listening during the rest of the time. She takes her family's reputation very seriously and would do absolutely nothing to mar it and absolutely everything to enhance it. She does have a hard time, however, keeping her eyes off the eyes of Roryn! "What beautiful eyes he has," she muses while taking a long draught of the proffered ale. "Ach! The rest o' him ain't so bad either!"
Thorghrim will attempt to enter twice (being 'beaten to the punch' by Khedron and then Kiira in short order).
"Hmmmph!," is his response to Gant’s smile at the comedy of them pushing past him and his two aborted attempts to enter.
Pushing into line after Kiira, Thorghrim will follow into the establishment.
Seeing the various ores upon the tables, he will go over to them. Ignoring everyone, he will silently put names to each ore in turn. If he finds one with which he is unfamiliar (small chance… But, you never know), he will loudly ask its name interrupting any other conversation going on at the time.
After a time, he will go to the table and take up a tankard that one of his siblings has absent mindedly filled for him.
Thorghrim will say a bit of grace to the Goddess before he drinks… (which simply consists of a silent toast, ”To Battle!” followed by slurpy lustful drinking…)
“By Kiira’s Axe! Nothing beats a good Dwarven ale. Hmmm… Except perhaps a better Dwarven sweet mead…”
AC16 hp16/16
Gant enters and takes the ale gladly. He doesn't say anything, just stands in a corner, looking around and taking everything in.
Dulok turns in his seat at Thorghrim’s question, “Ah that ore is the reason ma clan is ‘ere, good Master Thorghrim. tis only iron, but as ye can tell by its unique coloring tis most prized by our metalsmiths from Greysmere. That coloring is only found from the mines o Diamond Lake and this” he waves the scroll tube “is regarding the trade of this iron”
Dulok continues for another 15 minutes explaining the layout of Diamond Lake, and likely places for young dwarves to find adventure, 1. The Emporium. 2. The Feral Dog. 3. The outlying crypts and cairns. He also explains that Governor-Mayor Lanod Neff is in charge and Sheriff Cubbin keeps the peace.
Meanwhile Roryn has finished his sweeping and enters smiles at Kirra and continues to the back door. During the conversation dwarves of various ages move in and out of the front room, some taking samples and others leaving samples. They are dressed as artisans and clerks.
“Well I hae ta get back ta ma work, so if ye be staying get with ma dust head nephew and he can ‘elp ye”
If you take the rooms
If you don’t take the rooms
Brothers, sister....he mentioned cairns. We can always come back to this town. We need more coin. Let's explore the cairns. The humans around here are probably afraid of the dark.
"Cairns! Great idea! First thing tomorrow! I'm glad to be in sight of some dwarves that don't look just like me with facial hair!! I think after a good meal, some ale next to a warm dwarven hearth and a good night's, um, sleep we'll be ready to go!!" Kiira will saunter towards the hall that leads to the back door as she's talking and stop when she gets to where she can see Roryn. If he's not there, she'll wait and gladly follow him to her room.
“Aye, pretty rocks you have here sir.” His intended compliment sounds more like a dismissal as his flat tone and apparent disdainful look (just a version of his classic scowl) provide for a potential awkward moment…
After Dulok’s description of the town and such, Thorghrim also is interested to hear of the Cairns and Crypts. Allowing Kiira to express herself as she nudges her way across the room, Thorghrim will turn his glare (not too different from his normal facial expression) towards Gant.
“We must finish drying the meat lest it rot. We should leave for the Crypts upon the morn after some hot food!”
Having said his piece (and a bit more than usual), Thorghrim’s face ‘turns back into its stone-like scowl and he will cross his arms across his chest while he awaits the final decision of the family. While he waits for them to say their own words, he will ponder his current unexplainable desire to clack Gant and Moverock’s heads together really hard.
As usual though, his inner thoughts of chaotic violence towards his brothers is unnoticed and unacted upon as he thinks…
”Perhaps, I might start a right nice fight tonight at that Feral Dog place… These idiots need some good ole fashioned and proper worshiping of the Goddess to balance worshiping what is in their mugs!”